Day 114: International Moment of Laughter Day

International Moment of Laughter Day is a special day that will put a big smile on your face. The objective of this day is to get people to laugh, and to laugh more often. After all, "laughter is the best medicine".  Moment of Laughter Day is also known as National Moment of Laughter Day, and plain old Moment of Laughter Day. We don't care whether you celebrate today as a local, national, or international day. What's important is that you bring about laughter (and happiness) to those you come in contact with today.

Origin of "Moment of Laughter Day": Humorologist Izzy Gesell created Moment of Laughter Day to encourage people to laugh

To encourage more people to laugh, he invites America and the whole world to join in the fun today, and everyday in fact, the planet's International Moment of Laughter Day. You can celebrate by:

• laughing out loud at the funny cards in a greeting card shop
• calling a friend to share a funny story
• buying a "laugh-box" in a joke shop and turning it on at work or at home
• showing your baby pictures to someone who's never seen them
• thinking up your own way to get someone else to laugh with you
• or just laughing for no apparent reason at al

Researchers have begun to examine positive emotions and their impact on a person's health and aging process. Based on the results from a scientific study at the University of Maryland Medical Center, laughter may give a jolt to circulation and have positive effects on the heart. In addition, laughter may increase the body's production of nitric oxide (a chemical that helps dilate blood vessels).

All of these positive impacts on your health are reason enough to laugh not just today, but every day! So go ahead and be silly and laugh at your own jokes. And don't forget that laughter is contagious!

Laughter is a way to bring joy to those children who have many challenges in their lives that hinder laughter. Childhood is a treasure and a right. Children embody our richest aspirations, yet they are also our poorest, most vulnerable minority, defenseless in the face of abuse, neglect, homelessness and poverty.

In New York City, well over 14,000 children sleep in shelters every night and every day over 600,000 children go hungry because they live in households in which parents must regularly choose between paying the rent and buying food. Last year, almost 70,000 children were reported victims of child abuse or neglect. Each and every day, hunger, homelessness, physical and emotional abuse, abandonment, neglect, substance abuse, substandard housing, failing schools and disease endanger children’s welfare and undermine their future.

The Association to Benefit Children (ABC) was created to amplify the voices of defenseless children by combating the debilitating effects of poverty and championing the right of every child to a joyful and nurturing childhood. ABC creates model programs that are easily replicable, compassionate, comprehensive, cost-effective and sustainable. Through them and through widespread advocacy efforts to enact far-reaching and lasting solutions, ABC has brought relief, tenderness, joy and hope to many thousands of disadvantaged children.

Donation $5

To support The Association to Benefit Children, please visit: http://www.a-b-c.org/

Day 113: National Library Week

We live in an information world, and your local library can open the door to that world.

Whether you are getting your first library card, learning new computer skills, or planning a trip, the library is the place where your story begins.

Since 1958, National Library Week has celebrated libraries' place in American society. This year's celebration also kicks off the Campaign for America's Libraries. With the goal of increasing public awareness of the value of libraries, the campaign will continue through the next five years.

National Library Week is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and to promote library use. As libraries have faced budget cutbacks nationwide, National Library Week is a time when they can be the focus of positive attention. They're holding a haiku contest on Twitter -- some call it Twaiku -- and celebrating bookmobiles on Wednesday and teen literature on Thursday.

National Library Week not only pays tribute to libraries as centers of learning. It also gives thanks to local librarians for their knowledge and expertise during National Library Workers Day observed every year on Tuesday of National Library Week, this year held on April 12, 2011.

Libraries are there so children and adults can read for free. Libraries can initiate reading for the young reader. Libraries are borrowing centers. One organization helps get books in children’s hands and promotes children literacy, just as libraries do.

Page Ahead operates on one simple and astounding fact: being read to as a youngster is the foremost predictor of academic success in childhood. If a child can read at grade level by 3rd grade, he/she will continue to read at grade level throughout his/her academic career. A child who succeeds in school will remain there, earning a chance at a better job and a better life in the years ahead. A child who lacks early exposure to reading often suffers from low self-esteem, struggles academically, and is at higher risk for substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and delinquency. Succeeding begins with reading.

Children with literacy problems typically come from low-income families, have no books at home, and have caregivers who are not aware of the importance of reading to their children. Yet studies have proven, beyond dispute, that access to age-appropriate books and reading aloud to children are essential to developing language and reading skills.

Page Ahead was founded in 1990, as "Books for Kids" by individuals from the Seattle Chamber of Commerce's "Leadership Tomorrow" program.

Guided by the fact that literacy is essential to lifelong success, Page Ahead provides new books and develops reading activities that empower at-risk children.

Donation $5

To support Page Ahead, please visit:  http://pageahead.org/

Day 112: Drop Everything and Read Day

Today, April 12th, is National Drop Everything and Read Day (known as D.E.A.R. Day).D.E.A.R. stands for Drop Everything and Read. National D.E.A.R. Day is a special reading celebration to remind and encourage families to make reading together on a daily basis a family priority.

Every day is a great day to Drop Everything and Read! The goal is to make reading a regular part of your routine. So, go ahead and read today, tomorrow, and every day!

It's also the birthday of beloved author Beverly Cleary, whose characters Ramona and older sister Beezus are now favorites of a new generation of readers.

While there will be D.E.A.R. events held at schools and libraries around the US, all you really need to do to participate is take 30 minutes out of your day, wherever you are, to drop everything and read. It is suggested spending those 30 minutes reading with a child, if you can.

How great is it that there's a day set aside to celebrate the sheer joy of reading? The fact that the irrepressible Ramona is the face of D.E.A.R. Day just makes the whole thing that much more fun. Happy D.E.A.R. Day. Enjoy!!

Literacy is at the root of a person’s ability to succeed, and the family is at the heart.

At the National Center for Family Literacy, and since 1989, they have helped more than 1 million families make educational and economic progress by pioneering – and continuously improving – family literacy programs.

Their emphasis is on family literacy for a simple reason – study after study shows that family, home and community are the true drivers of a child’s education. Consider:

• Children’s reading scores improve dramatically when their parents are involved in helping them learn to read.
• Low family income and a mother’s lack of education are the two biggest risk factors that hamper a child’s early learning and development.

Literacy is essential to success in today’s economy, now more than ever. The family literacy approach harnesses the strength of parent-child bonds to help those who are most at risk of failing economically, emotionally and socially. National Center for Family Literacy builds success by strengthening parent-child confidence, increasing their ability and broadening their outlook. The results have an impact on a personal level as well as a national one.

Donation: $5

To support National Center for Family Literacy, please visit:  http://www.famlit.org/

Day 111: National Volunteer Week

National Volunteer Week, April 10-16, 2011, is about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities. It’s about demonstrating to the nation that by working together, we have the fortitude to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals. National Volunteer Week is about taking action and encouraging individuals and their respective communities to be at the center of social change—discovering and actively demonstrating their collective power to foster positive transformation.

National Volunteer Week is not only the moment in time to celebrate our volunteers, but to enable a nation to share ideas, practices, and stories, wherever they happen, and shaping a movement to re-imagine the notion of citizenship for the 21st century.

Make no bones about it: Americans like to give back. In 2010 alone, more than 63 million Americans volunteered their time, President Obama said in his recent presidential proclamation to kick off National Volunteer Week 2011, which began Sunday.

"Volunteers are the lifeblood of our schools and shelters, hospitals and hotlines, and faith-based and community groups," the president said. "From mentoring at-risk youth and caring for older Americans to supporting our veterans and military families and rebuilding after disasters, these everyday heroes make a real and lasting impact on the lives of millions of women and men across the globe."

For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 6 through 18, in communities across the country. They develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people.

They believe that all children achieve success in life. Their mission is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. By partnering with parents/guardians, volunteers and others in the community Big Brothers Big Sisters  are accountable for each child in our program achieving, higher aspirations, greater confidence, and better relationships, avoidance of risky behaviors, and educational success.

Donation $5

To support Big Brothers Big Sisters, please visit: http://www.bbbs.org/

Day 110: National Sibling Day

National Sibling Day is a day to appreciate and cherish your brothers and sisters. A commemorative day to honor, appreciate and celebrate all brothers and sisters and memorialize those who are no longer with us. Recognizing the bond between siblings for the special gift it is. A day to hug, honor and enjoy your sibling.

Siblings are truly a special blessing that we probably all too often take for granted. They are often our best friends and supporters through life. Another reason to celebrate is that not everyone is lucky enough to have siblings. Their lives are significantly different growing up, and throughout life.

Celebrate National Sibling Day in a variety of ways. It's a great time to be thankful for your sibling. But, most importantly get in touch with your siblings. Visit them if they live nearby. Call them, if they live far away. Send them a card, a letter, gifts, or flowers.    

The sibling relationship is deeply significant and is the longest-lasting bond we will likely ever have.  Sibling relationships can be uniquely "special" when one sibling has a disability or chronic health condition.  

Autism Siblings is a charity designed to help the siblings of autistic kids (and adults too).

 Julia Pressel, a thirteen years old girl started Autism Siblings because she noticed that autistic kids get plenty of help from many different people. However, we, their brothers and sisters, never get any help – but they need lots of help!

Now there’s a place where siblings can go to get help – Autism Siblings!

From working with her autistic brother Austin (who's 15), and other autistic kids and their siblings (She works with a charity called The Friendship Circle.) she learned a lot about the needs of both autistic kids and their brothers and sisters. Through her Website, she hopes to share much of what she’s learned with others so it can help them.

She also wants to let the world know about autism and how to help. She wants each sibling to know that they are not alone. Each sibling has lots of valuable information to share about things they have tried with their autistic brother or sister – things that work, and things that don’t work. Autism Siblings is a great way for all siblings to share their advice, and learn from others’ advice.

She is sure that as Autism Siblings grows, She’ll learn even more about how to help the siblings of autistic kids. Because of that, her website will constantly grow too – so check back often to see lots of new ideas. She’ll also include lots of advice and stories from siblings of autistic kids all over the United States.

Donation $5

To support Autism Siblings, please visit:  http://www.autismsiblings.org/

Day 109: National Pet Month

Who can resist the power of an animal friend? Face it — pets have their owners wrapped around their little paws. Whether they are furry, feathered, or finned, pets have the wonderful ability to brighten almost any day. Pets don’t just make us feel better emotionally and physically, they are also instrumental in teaching children about responsibility.

National Pet Month is about promoting responsible pet ownership, making people aware of the benefits of pets for people and people for pets, increasing public awareness of services available from professionals who work with animals, and raising awareness of the role, value and contribution to society of working companion animals.

People are encouraged to adopt pets during this month and pet owners are encouraged to give their pets a special treat. This could be a grooming session, a new toy or just some extra quality time. National Pet Month celebrates the benefits that pets bring to people’s lives – and vice versa! Our pets are our babies and they give us unconditional love. This month, think how your pets have impacted or touched your life.

Rescuing homeless dogs and professionally training them to enhance lives is what Dogs for the Deaf, the largest and oldest Hearing Dog program in the United States, is all about. DFD rescues dogs from animal shelters throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California. They choose dogs that are people friendly, confident, and motivated by toys, treats, and affection. They rescue, train, and place 30-40 dogs annually. The dogs are trained with positive reinforcement and lots of love.

All dogs that enter training are first spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, and receive any necessary medical treatment so they have the best possible chance to succeed.

Dogs for the Deaf has expanded its training program to include Autism Assistance Dogs for children and families living with autism. The rise in autism rates is staggering. The evolution of programs geared toward successfully integrating children with autism into routine daily activities includes Autism Assistance Dogs.

Autism Assistance Dogs can provide added safety, particularly with children who tend to bolt. The parent controls the dog on leash with the child attached to the dog by a tether. If the child tries to bolt, the dog is trained to sit and act as an anchor, giving the parent time to step in and take over. Autism Assistance Dogs can also have a calming effect on the child in general, but more specifically, during the transition from one activity/environment to another. Some children with autism experience a greater desire to communicate if they bond closely with the dog.

Donation $5

To support Dogs for the Deaf, please visit: http://www.dogsforthedeaf.org/

Day 108: Celebrate Diversity Month

April marks the beginning of new experiences and new transitions, being the first full month of spring. April is also Celebrate Diversity Month. Diversity is understanding, appreciating, and ultimately managing difference and similarities at the same time. Its reach is all-inclusive and may represent categories such as class, race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, physical disabilities, nationalities, political beliefs, and many other categories.

But what does it mean to be diverse or have diversity? It means to differ or have variety. It means to acknowledge, understand, accept, value and celebrate differences among people.

Diversity is about dignity and respect for all. It is about creating an environment that encourages learning from each other. So learn from others and reduce your stress along the way!

Celebrate Diversity Month is all about opening dialogues that foster an appreciation of the differences that separate us as well as the similarities that unite us.

Pine Tree Society helps people in Maine with disabilities lead richer, more socially connected lives. Too often, people with disabilities feel left out, even isolated. With the help of Pine Tree Society, they're not alone! They share a spirit of innovation and desire to discover new ways to break down barriers that many find insurmountable. It started as a bold new idea in 1936 and that commitment continues every day. Throughout its history, Pine Tree Society has been committed to meeting the unmet needs of Maine people with disabilities and their families through innovative program and services.

Whether it's a young girl with Cerebral Palsy discovering her first best friend at Pine Tree Camp, an adult finding his voice with customized assistive technology or an adult with a developmental disability participating in a new and exciting activities at Community Services, Pine Tree Society changes lives.

Pine Tree Society’s mission is to provide Maine children and adults with disabilities the opportunities and the means to create better lives for themselves and their families.

Donation: $5

To support Pine Tree Society, pleaser visit:  http://www.pinetreesociety.org/